On Tuesday, the Chestertown Rotary Club’s Titsworth Service Award Ceremony for community service was held at the Chestertown Yacht Club.
This year’s recipient was the community’s beloved Tom McHugh, with the honor bestowed posthumously to Tom’s wife, Peg McHugh.
McHugh, a musician at heart, educator, raconteur, and founder of The Mainstay in Rock Hall passed away May 14, 2021. He was well known for his many roles as a public servant who believed that a thriving community requires strong engagement with the arts and education.
Rotary Club President Dr. Lisa Webb presided over the award ceremony with a brief history of Dr. Paul Titsworth by W.C. College Chief of Staff, Vic Sensenig, and remarks by Betsy Durham of the Mainstay, Larry Wilson of Sumner Hall, and Gina Jachimowicz of Kent County Public Schools.
The award’s namesake, Dr. Paul Titsworth, was the 18th President of Washington College and credited with helping to raise the College’s profile to a national level. He was one of the eight local businessmen who founded the Rotary Club of Chestertown in 1926 and became its first president in 1931.
The ceremony concluded with a violin tribute by Nevin Dawson.
The Mainstay will be hosting a celebration of Tom’s life on Thursday, October 7, from 6 – 9 pm, rain or shine. For more information, contact info@mainstayrockhall.org.
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